Passive Voice

Passive Voice
by Maria Dramali

We make the passive by putting the verb 'to be' into whatever tense we need and then adding the past participle. For regular verbs, we make the past participle by adding 'ed' to the infinitive.
Example: An authors writes a book
A book is written by an author

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence.

Functions of the Passive Voice

Tense	Active	Passive
present simple	I make a cake.	A cake is made (by me).
present continuous	I am making a cake.	A cake is being made (by me).
past simple	I made a cake.	A cake was made (by me).
past continuous	I was making a cake.	A cake was being made (by me).
present perfect	I have made a cake.	A cake has been made (by me).
pres. perf. continuous	I have been making a cake.	A cake has been being made (by me).
past perfect	I had made a cake.	A cake had been made (by me).
future simple	I will make a cake.	A cake will be made (by me).
future perfect	I will have made a cake.	A cake will have been made (by me).

Multiple Choice

Active or Passive?

The fire was put out

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

Active or Passive?

The doctor talked to him

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

Active or Passive?

The dog has been taken to the vet

• Active

• Passive

Multiple Choice

Active or Passive?
Somebody has stolen my bag

• Active

• Passive

Fill in the Blanks

The dentist pulled out my tooth.

My tooth

by the dentist.

Fill in the Blanks

1. The mayor will open the new sports centre next month.
   The new sports centre

   by the mayor next month.

Fill in the Blanks

1. The waitress serves breakfast at 7 o’clock. 
   Breakfast

   at 7 o’clock by the waitress.

Fill in the Blanks

1. The police are questioning him now.
   He

   now by the police

Fill in the Blanks

1. The news seemed to have shocked him.
   He seemed

   by the news.

Fill in the Blanks

1. They were pulling down the building when I walked by.
   The building

   down when I walked by.